"Crowded Places" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter
Banks. It was released as a single on April 7, 2017. The song was written by Banks,
Tim Anderson and
Jack Antonoff, and produced by the latter.
Background and composition
"Crowded Places" was written and released specifically for the penultimate episode of the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
series ''
Girls'', although
Banks had already released ''
The Altar
''The Altar'' is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Banks, released on September 30, 2016, by Harvest Records. Banks collaborated with several producers on the album, including Tim Anderson, Sohn, and Al Shux, with whom ...
'', her sophomore studio album, six months prior. The episode was aired on April 9, 2017.
The song was written by Banks, Anderson and Antonoff, and produced by the latter. The song is a
ballad, which lasts for 4 minutes and 22 seconds.
William Defebaugh of ''
V Magazine'' described it as "stripped down and raw".
Lyrically, "Crowded Places" talks about
social anxiety and a relationship gone wrong because of this.
The song begins with Banks singing softly "Hey, Hey, Hey". During the
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
, she sings, "Cause I've been scared of crowded places/ Come with me, I'll take you home".
Critical reception
Matthew Scott Donnelly of ''
PopCrush'' described the song as "a quiet, moving lullaby".
For Laurence Day of ''
The Line of Best Fit'', the song is "darkly euphoric".
William Defebaugh ''
V Magazine'' said that "Crowded Places" listens as of an open–hearted confessional, playing to the singer's strength in creating intimacy in sonic spaces–even more so than anything she's released prior.
Taylor Bryant of ''
Nylon Magazine
''Nylon'' is an American multimedia brand, publishing company, and lifestyle magazine that focuses on pop culture and fashion. Its coverage includes art, beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology and travel. Originally a print publication, i ...
'' described "Crowded Places" as an intimate track that puts Banks' vulnerability on full display.
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from
Tidal.
*
Jilian Banks – songwriting, vocals
*
Tim Anderson – songwriting
*
Jack Antonoff – songwriting, production, programming
*Chris Spilfogel – mixing
*Laura Sisk – engineering
*Seth Perez – engineering
Release history
References
External links
*
{{authority control
2017 singles
2017 songs
Banks (singer) songs
Harvest Records singles
Songs written by Banks (singer)
Pop ballads
Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff
Songs written by Jack Antonoff
Songs written by Tim Anderson (musician)
Songs written for works
Songs about diseases and disorders